Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions

[BrownHP800]

I’m curious about the mugs too. I also wanted to know if anyone has tried using their own coffee in the in room coffee maker? I’ll be here for a conference in 3 weeks and wanted to know. Thanks.

This might not be the exact answer you are looking for, but we had some coffee pods from other hotel stays that were not Starbucks coffee. My wife HATES HATES HATES Starbucks. So we did bring these pods and use them in the coffee maker without any issue.

We also used the coffee maker for just hot water and put it in instant oatmeal for a quick and easy (and cheap) breakfast.

 

[JerseyJanice]

@SteveH Does your average rate of $348 include park tickets and/or resort fee and tax? That’s high for just a resort room.

Costco usually has good deals, but you can do better than that rate unless your dates make the Resort especially popular for some reason like Martin Luther King weekend or one of Disney’s race events.

P.S. If you are who I think you are, hello. Hope all is good in your world.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I love the in-room Starbucks coffee at the resort. I make it with the Dasani water they give you.

It makes great ice coffee too. Go lighter on the water and brew it over ice cubes.

 

[Mordu]

It's been 10 years since we were last at WDW and that last trip was as a family and this time it will just my wife and I. Been debating around and around between going to S/D or one of the Moderates. Right now Swan is in the lead just due to location and quick access to Epcot & DHS. The best rate I'm able to find for 5 nights in late January is through the Costco program average night is running $348/night, I could stay at CBR for just about half that, which is very tempting. It seems that rates at Swan are at peak that time of year, which surprised me a bit.

BTW Dan Murphy it's good to see you still here. I don't know if you will recall but my wife and I met you on your California trip back in 2000 or 2001 I think it was.

I just booked the swan for my December trip via Costco and it was about the same as the moderates. The Costco deal includes tickets so make sure you are accounting for that in your comparison. The Costco rate for swan and dolphin was much cheaper than any of the other travel sites when I finally decided to book

 

[SteveH]

@JerseyJanice - thanks that was my thought too. We're looking at arriving late on the 25th till the 31s. The total package; hotel & hoppers comes in at $2589 or about $517, standard Disney CBR is running more like $1739/$347 inclusive. SPG member rate for that time is coming up around $308/night w/out tickets. I'm not seeing any major events during that time frame; Marathon is early January and MLK is two weekends before. Today Coronado rates jumped from $167 to $225, so I am guessing that it's just getting busy. It's been a few years, I was a Moderator here way back when, then our move to California happened and then we got into RVing.

@Mordu did you book for December 2017 or 2018? I'm nervous but debating about waiting a bit too.

 

[patty57]

Right now Swan is in the lead just due to location and quick access to Epcot & DHS. The best rate I'm able to find for 5 nights in late January is through the Costco program average night is running $348/night, I could stay at CBR for just about half that, which is very tempting. It seems that rates at Swan are at peak that time of year, which surprised me a bit.

Check Priceline Express Deals as well. The Swan and Dolphin are sometimes included there. I found the easiest way to determine if it was one of them is that they are listed under Bonnet Creek area, and the resort fee will be the specific amount that they charged.

My example is that I booked a hotel for December 6, 7 & 8 listed in the Bonnet Creek area. Hotel fees were $84.39 total for the three nights. I'm not sure if the resort fee is the same or if it has increased since I booked this in March. I'm paying $405 including fees for three nights, which priceline said was a discount of 62%.

 

[Mordu]

@SteveH

I booked for December 2017. The price for Swan jumped from $226/night to $398 on orbitz etc, so I went ahead and booked the Costco deal because I was getting nervous and it was cheaper. I don’t need tickets this trip but went ahead and got 1 3 day MYW ticket just get the Costco deal. I also checked Priceline express and the what I could tell was swan deal was already sold out. They must be getting busy. I was able to find CSR and POFQ around the same price but we have gotten spoiled being able to walk to epcot. With the ticket, it ended up being $287/ night via Costco.

 

[SteveH]

@patty57 Thanks, I double checked on Express Deals again, only one is showing up and the extra rate doesn't match the resort fee. I'll keep checking though.

@Mordu Thanks again, just seems we picked a busy time but since we're combining this trip with a work conference in Clearwater Beach that's life. Just like everyone always looking for the best deal. Thanks for your advice and input

 

[anita46]

maybe you've got a coffee pot that isn't working right? I never had any issues with water being left in the tank. I thought it was good coffee. As good as I make at home (I hate Kcups, they are too weak for me and I feel the same way about most coffee that I purchase from other places). I purchased my own creamer.

Was it one coffee maker or multiple experiences over the years with different coffee makers?

We have never had much luck with those coffee makers and have never liked the results...we have tried a couple times when desperate but the water never fills the cups (3/4 max) and has never totally emptied from the maker. Think its maybe we didn't push the pods in far enough...
Does Pike's Place = Starbucks? Cuz that's that name on the coffee packs in our room. Wish I would have taken photos....
I really like the coffee at the Java Bar...but that's not Starbucks or is it?

 

[SteveH]

Does Pike's Place = Starbucks?

Most defiantly that's one of SB's name brands.

 

[Dan Murphy]

BTW Dan Murphy it's good to see you still here. I don't know if you will recall but my wife and I met you on your California trip back in 2000 or 2001 I think it was.

Hey Steve, great to see you again. Pretty sure that was 2001. I sure do recall seeing you and your wife back then at a Disneyland meet. Lot of other people there then also. Fun times. You were a moderator too back then, weren't you? Again, great seeing you again.

S/D is a great resort complex, enjoy.

 

[Mordu]

Does anyone else have an issue with the coffee set-up in the room? To me it seems that the coffee pod is too large for the size coffee maker and the size of the cup? We never got a decent cup of coffee from it.

We had the same issue in May when we stayed there. The coffee from the coffee maker in the room was so bad (because the pods were too big) so we started buying it from the coffee shop in the swan.

 

[nursejackie]

Yes, there is a refillable mug. I was there in December and I used the same mug for hot and cold items. I have heard others mention that there is a separate mug for cold and hot beverages, but I have never experienced this, or it may be that the staff just doesn't care...

I am staying in December (split stay), is the refillable mug you mentioned the same type at the other resorts?

 

[Dan Murphy]

 

[ckelly14]

View attachment 282568

Bingo. The best part is there is no "chip" on these mugs. I may have been known to bring the same mug with me on separate trips....

 

[SnowWtch]

Is there a place in Fuel at the Dolphin to use their refillable mug? Is it still around $18? I'll be there Monday, 11/27 through Friday, 12/1 for a conference and think it might be a good investment. I'll be staying at that resort as well.

 

[luvallprincesses]

We will need an early morning one way transport from the Dolphin to MCO on a Wednesday morning (the week after Thanksgiving), leaving the hotel around 4:30 am. We are a family of 4 with 2 large suitcases and 4 carry on size suitcases. Is it reliable to get an UberXL at that time of the morning instead of spending $75 to book elsewhere?

 

[JJ2017]

Just wanted to hop in on this thread. We have Dolphin booked for our November 2018 Jersey Week trip! (Just got back from this year's Jersey Week trip). Sad, but excited to start planning the next one! We have been twice and have rented DVC points at AKL and BLT, so this will be a different kind of hotel stay (no kitchen, etc...). But we have two connecting rooms. I stayed at Dolphin in May with a friend and thought it was great! From what I have read, we cannot do the meal plan, correct?

 

[Dan Murphy]

we cannot do the meal plan, correct?

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Mordu]

I'm staying at the Swan at the end of December. Is the big lap pool by the health club heated? Trying to figure out if I should bring swimsuits or not...